VNGOVNet – Minister of Health Trần Thị Trung Chiến has just signed Decision 12/2007/QĐ-BYT, issuing the so-called ‘Good Supply Practice’ in a drive to shore up the current delivery of medicine to users.

Under the decision, drug distributors must have legal status, a certificate showing they are qualified for drug business in line with the Pharmacy Law, and enough staff responsible for each and every of the duties that abound in a drug distribution business. Every business is bound to have a person of expertise who has the responsibility and power of running the quality control system in the business.

In terms of drug quality management, the Decision explicitly says that all parties involved in drug production and distribution must share accountability for the quality and safety of the product in circulation. They must follow the supply and marketing processes that have been approved to make sure the drugs come into circulation from legitimate distributors. All the medicines must be kept in good conditions in compliance with the regulation on Good Supply Practice. Radioactive, addictive, or hazardous drugs must be stored in restricted areas with strengthened security.

All kinds of drugs must be contained and distributed in packaging that is safe and able to protect the content from outside impacts, including bacterial contamination. The medicine must be kept intact in transport (no loss of identification information, no disorder or damage, and no contamination). Any up-to-standard or fake units discovered while in circulation and distribution must be immediately separated and then destroyed as soon as they are so proved.